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Tributes to Cumbrian policeman killed in motorbike crash

An off-duty policeman killed in a motorbike crash near Cockermouth was named last night as Craig Postlethwaite, 38.

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PC Postlethwaite, who lived in the Workington area, joined Cumbria police in 2007.

PC Postlethwaite worked in the West Cumbria roads policing unit.

He died at the scene after his motorcycle was in collision with a car on the A5086, on the outskirts of Cockermouth, on Wednesday.

His motorbike was in collision with a Volkswagen Tiguan driven by a 65-year-old Penrith man.

Sergeant Jim Lloyd, who worked with PC Postlethwaite and is a close family friend, said: “Craig’s family have asked me to pass on thanks to the member of the public who stopped at the scene and attempted to give first aid to help Craig.

“His family and colleagues are extremely grateful.

“Police officers and the ambulance service attended the collision. However, tragically, Craig died at the scene.

“His family, friends and colleagues are all deeply shocked and are being supported during this extremely difficult time.

“Craig was an exemplary officer and will be missed by all who knew him.

“Craig was an exceptional man and a very dedicated officer.

“He recently moved to the roads policing unit, which was a career path that he had always wanted to follow and had also just completed his firearms course.

“Craig joined the constabulary four years ago and has made a positive impression on all who knew him.

“He was well liked and respected by the community and all his colleagues – he was a genuinely nice and thoroughly decent bloke.

“As a police officer, he was an example to us all.

“He will be a massive loss to the policing family and we will all miss him.”

A photograph from PC Postlethwaite’s family showed him on duty as he attended an incident when a loose horse was causing danger on a road.

PC Postlethwaite took off his belt to get hold of the horse to lead it to safety.

PC Postlethwaite previously worked for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service for 14 years.

He joined in 1994 as store keeper at the Cockermouth fire HQ, and then became a computer assisted design officer in 2000. In 2003 he became corporate systems administrator, a role in which he remained until leaving in 2008.

In 2007 he was a member of the team which won a backroom brilliance award at the service’s first Together Towards Success awards.

Adrian Buckle, head of service delivery at the fire service, who had worked with PC Postlethwaite, said that joining the police had been his long-time ambition.

He added: “He was a well-liked, valued and friendly member of the family of the fire service and our thoughts are most certainly with his close family and friends at this time. He was always very approachable and always keen to help people out.

He was a genuinely nice person and it is a terrible shock.”

Members of Cumbria police’s Allerdale borough team said on social networking website Twitter: “RIP mate.”

Special constables tweeted: “Tragic news about our colleague and friend.”

An ambulance service spokeswoman said that community first responders reached the crash site before the emergency services and assisted in providing treatment. The air ambulance and a doctor were also called.

The car driver was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle.

The road was closed for four hours between Eaglesfield Paddle Primary Academy and the A66 Sheep and Wool Centre roundabout.